Drug Abuse and Dependence - Treatment
Treatment for drug abuse or dependence usually includes group therapy, one or more types of counseling, and drug education. A 12-step program is often part of treatment and continues after treatment as part of your recovery.
Treatment doesn't just deal with drugs. It will help you manage problems in your daily life. It helps you take control of your life so you don't have to depend on drugs. You'll learn good reasons to quit drugs.
Treatment helps you overcome dependence, but it doesn't happen all at once. Staying drug-free is a lifelong process that takes commitment and effort. You may be in group therapy or counseling for a year or more.
Recovery helps you stay drug-free and adjust to life without drugs. It is important that you plan for a relapse, which happens when you slip up and use drugs again. Your doctor, family, and friends can help you avoid this. See the Recovery section for more information.
Getting started
How treatment begins can vary. You might start with your family doctor, or your doctor may recommend that you enter a treatment facility. A friend could bring you to a self-help group, such as Narcotics Anonymous, or you might walk into a clinic that deals with drug abuse.
No matter how you get into treatment, your main goal will be to stop using the drug. You can think more clearly and make better decisions when you keep drugs out of your system. If you tell yourself that using a little bit of the drug is okay, it will be very hard to break the drug habits.
You may have a treatment team to help you. This team may include a psychologist or psychiatrist, counselors, doctors, social workers, nurses, and a case manager. A case manager helps plan and manage your treatment.
You may be asked questions about your drug use, health problems, work, and living situation. Be open and honest to get the best treatment possible. Your treatment team may write a treatment plan, which includes your treatment goals and ways to reach those goals. This helps you stay on track.
Detoxification
Your doctor may decide you need detoxification, or detox, before you start treatment. Detox "flushes out" the drugs in your body. You may need detox when you are physically addicted to a drug. Being physically addicted means that when you stop using the drug, you have physical withdrawal symptoms, such as feeling very sick to your stomach or feeling intense anxiety.
People who are dependent on drugs often have to go to a hospital or treatment facility. Detox usually is done under the care of a doctor because detox without medical care can be dangerous. A doctor also may be able to prescribe medicines to help with detox and withdrawal symptoms. Detox can be done in an inpatient or outpatient setting, depending on the drug you are dependent on and other factors.
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